Subcaliber mechanism for breech-loading rifles.



Patented July 23, |90l.

No. 679,1l5.

L. L DamasT l SUBCALIBER MECHAN-ISM FUR BREECH LOADING BIFLES,

(Application filed Dec. 9, 1899. Renewed Feb. 12, 1501.) Nu Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l,

wh/Lewes No. 679Jn5.

. L. L. DRIGGS. SUBCALIBER MECHAMSM F *men-md July 2s, Ism.

un snm-:cu LOADING mFLEs. A (Application filed :De-m9, 1899. Renewed Feb. 124, 1901.)

. I Sheet 2.

2 Sheets- 45 t against turningin the breech-block proper of f'ti'nggup von' the ,adjusting-screws yDFE-the' ad- 4 ring D until the adj usting-ring 'ts snuglyiu the' powder-chamber, while easing up on these justing-,ring D' willfbe movedforward on the.

adjusting-screws will vmove the-adjustingring to the rear on the ring D, allowing the -for holding the subcaliber barrel against ro'- ltation may be adopted, if desired'. "This ban'd y D may be either 4shrunk on `the outer tube C( or maybe keyed thereon, as bygmeans of By means of4 these two bands 1 D' and D6 the subcaliber-barrel is centered in the key d.

the bore fof the gun and the projectile 'of the subcaliber-barrel follows the same path that the larger projectile wouldfollow.

. `shown in Fig. 8.

" rear'slope of the powder-chamber of the gun .of the jacket C of the subcaliber-barrel C; as In this case the tapered portion of the adjusting-ring D8 its inthe and is adjusted by means of a `Spanner en gaping in the Spanner-holes d3.

" n Thebreech of the subcaliber-barrel is closed by meansof theblock E, which is shouldered, as ate', and bears against the face o f the service breechfhlack B. This block E is provided with a rearwardly-extending stein E', which pro- .jects intcrthe sleeve F, which sleeve is keyed fast to'the'block E, asby means of the set- 'screw f. Over the rear end of the sleeve a screw-`cap H, is'screwed, having shoulders which bear against the shouldersni'of'theservice bree ch-block.

'In ord-er to hold the subcaliber breech-block the gun', I provide Va plunger-pink, having a knurled head h for convenience in drawing same to rear, and secured to the plate-spring h at its center, as at h2, to the rear face of the plate H. This pin h engages in a groove cut in the rim of the plate H and projects into a recess or socket b5 in the shoulder b* of the main breech-block. A- similar pin h8 is lsecured tothe opposite end of the plate-spring h and passes through an opening in the plate 'I-I, extending into a recess' f in the end of the sleeveF, as shown in Fig. 8, `toprevent the screw-cap H from turning on the screwthreads of the sleeve F. 'This pin h3 is also provided with a knurled head h4, by means of which it may be withdrawn. when neces- ,sary. The' resiliency of the springlh should be sufcient to allow the pins h and h3 to be drawn to the rear to clear the rear face of the plate H, and then swinging the springl -h' slightly-'about its pivot will allow the points Insteadof the fixed ringD and sliding ring yD', I may use a single slightlyft'apered adj usting ring or band D3, screwed on thebreech of the pins to' resten the rear face of the plate f! untilfthe plate .H is' screwed home, when the pins are suappedinto the recessesin thel plate Hand the latter-isturned,ithepoints of thev pinsl vmeantii'ne bearing against the shoulder bj ,until the-pins snap intov the sockets b5' and f', and' the snboali-bereblock is then held against turning in the .main breechblock.- It may not always be necessary, however, to lock this subcaliber-block against rotation, especially where metal cartridgecases are not used. Projecting through this cap H is the sten1-K2,made fast to the sleeve K', secured to the tail of the iiring-pi'n K, 'the latter being of the ordinary typeof springoperated filing-'pin and projecting through the block `E, as shownv in Fig. `1. The rear end of this stem K2 projects between the ,arms of?v the yoke M, which is pivoted, as at m,to the said stem', and is provided with a stud 4or projection m and with a heel m2. A single 'p ate may be substituted for the yokeM, if

desired.

,P represents a trigger or firing-arm operated either by hander preferably by means of the lanyard Q, wh'ich`is pivoted on the pin R andy has a shorter cooking-arm P projecting thereron'l'- and engaging the heel c m2 of the pivoted yoke' Surroundingpartei this pin R is a'spring S, which normally tends to .throw the firingarm P forward and to re- '..store the satne automatically to the initial position eachtime the gun has been fired. As the cocki'ngfarm'lf is thrown forward it tilts' the heel lm2 and passes beyond the same, and then the arm P,^'engaging the lug m', swings the yoke M forward until its front face strikes against'the' shoulder'kon the stem K2, and

tion 'shown in' Fig. l.

thusthe parts are normally held in the posi- If it is desired to firethe subcaliber device by pulling back on the lanyard, thecocking arm P' will drag the stem Efz backward 'until' the said arm passes beneath the heel m2, when the firing-pin will be released and will iiy forward under the operation of the-spring, firing Ithe cartridge. The short arm 1J is arranged tobring up-against the rear face' of the plate H when the ring-arm is drawn farenough' to the rear to release the firing-pin, and thus the spring S is avoided.

...-'As an additional means .excess of lost motion and excessive strain on for firing the gun 'H out of engageinent with the sockets b5 and 7 ICO IIO

the'stem K2 is provided with an eye la, into v which the lanyard'may be hooked directly, and the firing-pin may be drawn back and then'let go, if desired.

,In order to remove the empty cartridgecases, 'I provide the extractor T, notched, as at t, to engage the inclined face of thespringcatch U, which isnormally pressed inward 'by means of the spring W. The extractor is mounted in the slot e0 in the front face of the block E, and the head ofthe extractor passes into the arc-shaped recess o of theinner tube C, while thenib ofthe extractor .engages the rim of the cartridge-case, as shown in Figi. rlliere may be two or more of these extract-ors, if desired, and other wellknown forms ot' exi tractors` may beadopted,A if preferred.

` Inox-der to fit th'engun with the "s'ub'caliber mechanism, lthe obturator -andL connected parts are first removed from the breech block, which .is swung open, the subcaliber-barrel is inserted from the rear of the breech of the gun, theV lugs l taking in the grooves of the riding, and the said subcaliberbarrel is shoved in place, the rear end being centered by the ring D and adjusting-screws D2, as before' l C. The parts now being in the position shown in Fig. 1, the breech-block iso'pened and closed in the ordinary way, andthe subcaliber ammunition is pla-ced in the barrel C from the rear Just as the fuit-sized service ammunition is loaded.

ly the hereindescribed arrangement it is rendered possible to secure higheieiency in subcaliher practice and to haveit simulate as nearly as possible the actnalfservice practice. The design permits the introduction of subcalibcr mechanism with no cutting-or alteration ot' the gun whatever, except, 4possibly, the slight cutting incident to providing the stop-notch b5, and even this maynot be necessary. The only work. required to prcpare the gun to receive the subcaliber mechanism is the removal ofthe obturator and connections. As the -design permits of the use ol' the service breech-block, the guns crew has the beneiitof practice with thevlneehanism in the same manner as in firing lfull charges. I

As target practice with service charges is held but seldom and itis generally desired to have frequent target practice -with the subcaliber ammunition, the subcaliber device need only be removed n few times per year when practice with service charges is held. Under these conditions the large subcalibertube would not be too unwieldy.

The advantages of being able to use a comparatively heavy and yet not too' expensive a projectile in snbcalibcr practice are too obvious to be dwelt upon.

It will be obvious-that various modica tions might be made in the herein-described 'apparatus which conldgbeused without departing from the'spirit of my' invention.

Having thus describedvny invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure-by Letters l'. A subcalibei-barrel yfor-use lin breechloading guns, providedwith abend-#with lugs thereon near the forward end'of said barrel, and a sloping centering-band at the rear end of the barrel adapted to 'fit in the obturator slope of the bore of the gun and to center the said barrel in the said gun, in combination with means Yfor closing said barrel and for firing the subcaliber device; substantially as described.

2. A subcaliber-barrel for yuse in breechloading guns, provided with a band, with lugs thereonat the forward end of said barrel, and a sloping centering-band at the rear end ot the barrel adapted to rit iii-the obturator slope of the bore of the gun and to' center the said barrel in the said gun, in combination with a subcaliber breech-block mounted in the breech-block of the gun and tiring-mechanism carried by said subcaliber breech-block; s ub'- stantially as described.

A subcaliber-barrel for use inbreechloading guns,'provided with a-'centering de- Vice near the forward end of said barrel, and an adjustable sloping centering-band at the rear end of the barrel adapted tot in the -I obturator slope ot the bore ofthe gun and tocenter the said barrel in the said' gun, in conibination with means for closing-.saidbarrel and for firing the subcaliberdevice; substan-l tially as described.

i. A subcaliber-barrel for use in breechloading guns, provided with a centering de#- vice near the forward -end of said barrel, and

an adjustable sloping centering-band at 'the'V Louis LfDnnn-is.

Witnesses: i

ALnEn'r W. liown, L. J. ELio'r.

IOS 

